This document discusses different file formats for digital graphics including raster graphics like JPEG, TIFF, GIF, and BMP as well as vector graphics like PSD, AI, FLA, and WMF. It describes what each file format stands for, examples of how it is used, advantages and disadvantages. It also covers topics like image capture methods, compression, optimizing images, and file storage considerations including file size, naming conventions, and organizing assets into folders.

1. Digital Graphics
File Formats
Jack Sullivan

2. Raster Graphics
Raster graphics are made up of Bitmaps.
Bitmaps are made of pixels of a fixed resolution.
Resizing raster graphics can cause distortion of
images.

3. Vector Graphics
Vector graphics are made up of vectors. Unlike
raster graphics, vectors can be scaled with no
loss in definition.

4. Raster Graphics

5. JPEG
Stands For Joint Photographic Experts Group
Used For/Example An image
Advantage When saved as a JPEG the image is in
better quality.
Good for photographs, ads,.
Disadvantage Degrades over time when saved time after
time.
Produces larger images than necessary for
certain image types.

6. TIFF
Stands For Tagged Image File Format
Used For/Example TIFF’s are used for desktop publishing.
Advantage They can be edited with most popular
image editing software on the market.
No loss of image detail when a save is
made.
Disadvantage TIFF images can take up a lot more space
than a JPEG.

7. GIF
Stands For Graphic Interchange Format
Used For/Example The second most common image format
used on the World Wide Wed after JPEG.
Advantage Small file sizes, can be used easily online
and still have good quality.
GIF’s can show emotions and movement
which a still image would not be able to.
Disadvantage They have a maximum colour palette of
256 colours so they can look poorer
quality than other types of image.

8. BMP
Stands For Bitmap Image File
Used For/Example BMP is a graphics format used commonly
as a simple graphics file format on a
Microsoft Windows platform.
Advantage Does not degrade in quality when saved
multiple times like a JPEG does.
Supported by virtually every device.
Disadvantage Lacks all the other features of the other
formats.

9. Vector Graphics

10. PSD
Stands For Prevention of significant deterioration
Used For/Example PSD files are able to save layers and page
formatting information.
Advantage PSD files large size and capability to save
big amounts of file information makes
them an excellent choice for working files.
Disadvantage Very few other programmes will
understand open or import PSD files.

11. AI
Stands For Adobe Illustrator
Used For/Example AI can be used to create graphics which
can represent a company.
Advantage The images can be scaled smaller or larger
with no loss in definition. The images can
be high quality.
Disadvantage Requires special software to open so can
be limited to who it is viewed by.

12. FLA
Stands For Flash File
Used For/Example FLA files are used to create animations and
also games.
Advantage FLA files are high quality, but they only
have a small file size, which makes them
good for the web because they don’t take
long to load.
Disadvantage A limited amount of software can open a
flash file.

13. WMF
Stands For Windows Media Format
Used For/Example WMF is a file extension for a graphics file
used with Microsoft Windows.
Advantage The images saved as WMF can be saved
with no loss of definition or quality.
Disadvantage A WMF is only available on Windows
platforms.

14. File Format Capture
and Optimising

15. Compression
Definition A reduction in a file size by reducing the
amount of information that is saved.
Advantage An advantage to compression is that is
reduces the size of the file and memory
amount that the file requires.
Disadvantage When an image is compressed it loses it’s
quality and looks more pixelated.

16. Image Capture
Method Scanner
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
A scanner captures images from
photographic prints, posters and magazine
pages for computer editing and display.
Method Camera
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
Capture images than can be transferred or
stored in a memory card or other storage
inside the camera.
Method Graphics Tablet
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
This enables a user to hand-draw images,
animations and graphics with a stylus pen.

17. Optimising
Why would you optimise? Images that are uploaded on the internet
are optimised so they are easily viewed
on the web.
How can you optimise? You can optimise an image by resizing an
image to the height and width that you
intend to display it.
Advantage to optimising By optimising an image the file size can be
reduced which means it downloads faster.
Disadvantage to optimising Optimising an image can reduce the
amount of pixel information.

18. Storage

19. File Size
What could affect a Working Scale
(Photoshop) document file size?
How could you reduce the file size of a
Working Scale document without
affecting quality?
What is an advantage of scaling up images
before exporting?
What is a disadvantage of scaling up
images before exporting?

20. File Naming Conventions
What naming conventions could you use
when creating your video game assets?
Why is it a good idea to accurately name
your assets?

21. Asset Management
Why would you use folders when storing
your assets?
What folders would you create and what
would you save within them